Top Cities for Ecotourism

Travellers are looking for ways to travel sustainably with as little environmental impact as possible. This has prompted many countries to promote ecotourism as an environmentally-friendly and responsible way for tourists to explore the area. By participating in ecotourism, you can support conservation efforts and reduce carbon emissions so that others can enjoy these destinations for generations to come. To help you choose your next eco-friendly holiday, here are some of the top ecotourism destinations around the world.

Santa Elena, Costa Rica

Santa Elena is a town within Monteverde, and it’s the hub of the region. The city has become popular with tourists because of its proximity to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, where visitors can wander around the paths and canopy bridges, do horseback-riding tours, go ziplining, and go on guided night walks. Santa Elena is close to Selvatura Adventure Park, in which you’ll find a butterfly garden, a bat jungle, the Monteverde Orchid Garden, the Monteverde Frog Pond, the Monteverde Hummingbird Gallery, and the Serpentarium of Monteverde.

From Santa Elena, you can also get to the Ecological Sanctuary, the Curi Cancha Reserve, and the Santa Elena Cloud Forest, where you can go across the Santa Elena Skywalk. A 90-minute drive from Santa Elena is Lake Arenal, where you can do some windsurfing, sailing, and birdwatching with Arenal Volcano in the backdrop. If you’re looking for some unusual activities to do, you could go on a coffee tour or take a tour of the Monteverde Cheese Factory. Many tourists choose to visit Costa Rica during the dry season between December and April.

Morondava, Madagascar

Morondava is a city in western Madagascar. It’s well known for the Avenue of Baobabs and the Baobab Amoureux. It’s also close to several reserves. You’ll have to stay in Morondava if you want to visit the Andranomena Special Reserve, since there aren’t any camping facilities there. The reserve is a great place to spot lemurs, fossae, flat-tailed tortoises, and several species of birds. There are two hiking circuits in the reserve; Circuit of the Four Lakes, which can be hiked during the dry season, and the Antsarongaza circuit. Kirindy Forest is a reserve with unique flora and fauna, such as the ring-tailed vontsira, the Malagasy giant jumping rat, Madagascan collared iguana, and several species of lemurs. To make the most of your visit to the forest, you should visit during the day and do a night walk.

The farthest reserve is the Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve, which is a 10-hour drive from Morondava. The reserve is adjacent to the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. It’s a fun place for those who enjoy trekking, rock climbing, and camping. Visitors are always charmed by the limestone rock formations and the soothing canoe trip on the Manambolo River. If you don’t fancy travelling that far from Morondava, you should visit Morondava Beach to do a bit of sunbathing, swimming, snorkelling, and diving. If you hop on a boat, you might catch a glimpse of the whales in the Mozambique Channel.

Motueka, New Zealand

Motueka is a town on the South Island of New Zealand and it’s the gateway to Abel Tasman National Park, where visitors can go on horse treks and hike along the Abel Tasman Inland Track. You can get to Coquille Bay, Apple Tree Bay, Kaiteriteri Beach, and Observation beach via the Abel Tasman Coast Track. Between Marahau and Kaiteriteri, you’ll find Split Apple Rock, a rock formation that you can wade to at low tide. Take a water taxi to Tonga Island Marine Reserve for an afternoon of sea kayaking or take the Wainui Falls Track and make your way to the Wainui Falls. The Golden Bay is an hour’s car ride from Motueka, and it’s just on the far side of Abel Tasman National Park.

The drive from Motueka to the Flora Car Park in Kahurangi National Park is about 50 minutes, but it’s worth it for the chance to go hiking up Mount Owen and Mount Arthur, mountain biking on the Heaphy Track, white water rafting on Buller River, and walking through the Riuwaka Resurgence. Between Abel Tasman National Park and Kahurangi National Park is Tākaka Hill, where you’ll find Harwoods Hole, a 183-metre sinkhole and cave system, and the Ngārua Caves, which can be visited with a private tour guide. While in Motueka, make sure you book a rafting, kayaking, or canoeing trip on the Motueka River.

Nasiphel, Bhutan

In contrast to some of the cities we’ve recommended, ecotourism has blossomed in the lesser-known village of Nasiphel in Bhutan. It has become a popular spot for travellers who wish to visit Wangchuck Centennial National Park. To get to Nasiphel, you’ll need to take a domestic flight from Paro International Airport in Paro to Bathpalathang Airport in Jakar and drive from there. Alternatively, you can do an 8-hour drive from Paro. Tourists who choose to stay in Nasiphel often lodge in a homestay with local residents to better understand the culture of the Bumthang region.

Nasiphel is the home of Head Office of the Wangchuck Centennial National Park—Bhutans largest park—and visitors can stop by for more information about the park. In Wangchuck Centennial National Park, you’ll find several unique species of animals, such as the Bhutan takin, snow leopards, Bengal tigers, Tibetan wolves, and Asian black bears. If you like birdwatching, this a fantastic place to go. There are many hiking and trekking trails in the park, the most popular being the Bumthang Cultural Trek. Many tourists visit the park in February to go to the Nomads Festival.

Before you leave on your eco-friendly vacation, make sure that every element of your trip is covered by travel insurance. If you plan on doing a lot of activities during, you should let your travel insurance provider know when you purchase your policy. To get cover for activities like white water rafting, black water rafting, sea kayaking, abseiling, and safari trekking on foot, you may need to pay an added premium.